Game apparatus



June 16, 1936. B RADTKE I I 2,044,328

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 29, 195:, v s Sheets-Sheet 1 Bruno Radzf/zeINVENTOR.

L 35 BY 171s ATTORNEYS.

June 16, 1936.

2': k 1 L J9 cam-um -L 80 4! V 22 I 4 i 1 f 27 ml] ..5 I i m B. RADTKEGAME APPARATUS Filed July 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR;

Hi8 ATTORNEYS.

June 16, 1936. B, RADTKE 2,044,328

GAME APPARATUS Filed July 29, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Bruno Rad tfieINVENTOR.

J1 I5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 16, 1936 PATENT OFFICE:

GAME APPARATUS Bruno Radtke, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Exhibit SupplyCompany, Ch of Illinois 1 icago, 11]., a corporation Application July29, 1935, Serial No. 33,651

3 Claims.

provide a new and improved free play or free game device for a game oramusement apparatus, the same being particularly adaptable for use inconjunction with game apparatus of the so-called pin and marble gametype.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel device forpreventing operation of the coin slide when the free game registeringdial has been moved away fromits initial or zero position to registerone or more free games to the players credit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide anovel devicefor manually resetting the free game registering dial back into itsinitial or zero position independently of the main or principalactuating member for the free game registering dial.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement ofparts-to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a game apparatus embodying a preferredformof the present invention; I

Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view, on line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the free game unit or deviceembodied in the invention, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the free game unit or device, online 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 55 in'Fi 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View on 1ine'6-6 in Fig. 3;

'Fig. 'I is a sectional view on line 1-1 in.

Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an elevational detail view of a par embodied in the presentinvention and Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuitembodied in the present apparatus.

A game apparatus embodying a preferred form of the present invention isshown in the drawings, is therein generally indicated at H], andcomprises a cabinet H which includes an inclined playing board i2 havinga master ball exit opening or ball-receiving pocketl3 therein (Fig. 2).

Providedin the cabinet ll, adjacent one side thereof, is a ball runwayor ramp l4 (Fig. 1) and slidably mounted in the cabinet II at the lowerend of the runway or ramp ll is a ball- 5 propelling device or plungerI5 by means of which balls may be propelled, one at a time, up the ramp14 onto the upper area of the inclined playing board I! so that they maygravitate thereover and enter into the master ball exit openingor'pocket l3,

Arranged in the cabinet H, below the inclined' playing board 12, is aball return runway l6 by means of which the spent balls which passthrough the master ball exit opening or pocket 15 I3 are conducted backto a transverse runway 11 by which they are, in turn, conducted to apoint adjacent to, but below the ball-elevating device, which isgenerally indicated at 58.

Slidably mounted in the lower end wall i9 of the cabinet H is a mainactuating member in the form of a coin slide 20, and likewise slidablymounted in the end wall IQ of the cabinet H, adjacent the coin slide 20,is an auxiliary actuating member in the form of a plunger or push rod2i; the coin slide 20 providing a main actuating member for the slidableball-retaining member 28 and the push rod 2i providing an auxiliaryactuating member for the ball-retaining member 28.

Rotatably mounted in the cabinet ll, below the inclined playing boardI2, is a horizontally extending shaft 22 (Figs. 4 and 6) and fixedlymounted on this shaft 22 is a free game registeringdial 23 (Fig. 6) thisdial 23 being visible through a sight opening which is provided in thetop wall of the cabinet ll (Fig. 1). Likewise fixedly mountedon theshaft 22, adjacent the free game registering dial 23, is a ratchet 24.

Slidably mounted in the cabinet H, below the 40 inclined playing boardI2, is a ball-retaining ,member 28 attached toand depending from thisslidable ball-retaining member 28 is an arm 29. Pivotally mounted at oneend in the cabinet II, as at 25 (Fig. 4). is a latch member 2a which hasa notched end portion 21 and this notched end portion 21 is latchinglyengageable with the inner end portion of the coin slide 20 (Fig. 4),.pivotal movement of the latch member 26 (counterclockwise, Fig. 4)beinglimited by a stop ll i (Fig. 4).

Pivotally mounted uponthe latch member 26 as at Ill isa member M whichincludes a depending arm 30, which is engageable with a pin or lug3lwhi'ch is attached to, and projects latmoved away from the dependingarm 39 in a.

manner to be hereinafter described.

Mounted upon the inclined ball return runway |6 (Fig. 2) is a,circuit-closing device or' switch of conventional design, and which isgenerally indicated at 34, this switch 34 being arranged in anelectrical circuit 35 which includes a suitable source of current whichmay be, for example, a battery of dry cellsor the like 36 arranged inthe cabinet Likewise embodied in the circuit 35 are a plurality ofswitches 31, each of which is associated with a ball-receiving pocket orexit opening 39 which is formed in the inclined playing board l2 (Figs.1 and 2).

Likewise embodied in the electric circuit 35 is a solenoid 39 and themovable element or core 49 of this solenoid 39 is engageable with an arm4| of an escapement dog 6| (Fig. 5) which is piv'- otally mounted in thecabinet as at 69, (Fig. 4).

This dog 6| has an angled arm 42 which projects laterally through anopening 43, which is provided in a vertical supporting wall 44, and thearm 42 has an oifset end portion 12 (Fig. 7) which is engageable withthe teeth of the ratchet 24. The

dog 6| also has an end portion or arm 1| which is likewise engageablewith the teeth of the ratchet 24.

The inner end portion of the auxiliary actuating member or push rod 2|is engageable with a laterally extending portion or flange 45 oi. amember 46 which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet H, at its lower end,as at 41 (Fig. 5) and pivotally connected to this member 46, adjacentthe upper end of the latter, as at 48, is a slide bar 49, this slide bar49 being adapted to engage or ride over a laterally extending lug or'pin 59 which projects through a slot 5| which is formed in the verticalsupporting wall 44. Formed on the upper end portion of the pivotalmember'46 is a rack of teeth 66 and engageable withthis rack of teeth661s a pivotal dog 61, this dog 61 and the rack of teeth 6 constitutinga full stroke device for the pivotal member 46 and the auxiliaryactuating member 2| and necessitating a" full stroke of the same oncemovement thereof has been instituted.

The lug or pin which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet I adjacent itslower end, as at 99 (Fig. 4), and the upper end portion 53 of thismember 52 is engageable with the depending arm 29 of the slidableball-retaining member 28; the upper end portion 53 of this member 52being urged out 01' engagement with the depending arm 29 of the slidableball-retaining member 29 by means or a spring 54 (Fig. 4).

Pivotally connected to the member 52, by means of a pin and slot or lostmotion connection 55-16 (Fig. 4) is a link 56 and this link 56 ispivotally connected, as at 51, which is pivotally mounted in the cabinetII, as at 69. Pi'votally mounted upon the member 58, as at 99, is a pawl69 and this pawl 69 has an angled extension or arm 69 which isengageable with the teeth 01' the ratchet 24.

Slidably mounted in the bottom wall 95 ot the cabinet I I (Fig. 4) is aplunger 14 and the inner end portion of this plunger 14 is engageablewith a laterally projecting arm 15 of the 59 is carried by a member 62sight opening 64 to a. member 59 member 69. Attached to the arm-15 ofthe member 69 is one end of a coil spring 13, the other end oi. thisspring 13 being attached to the dog 69. This spring 13 urges the pawl 69in a direction (counterclockwise, Fig. 4) to engage the 5 angled arm 69thereof with the teeth of the ratchet 24, and themovementot the pawl6H9, under the action of the spring 13 (counterclockwise, Fig. 4) islimited by a stop 94 (Fig. 4).

- Pivotally mounted in the cabinet I i, as at 69 10 (Fig. 4) is a latchdog 6| which is normally urged, by a spring 62, into engagement with theratchet 24, and arranged on the shaft 22 is a coil spring 63 whichnormally urges the shaft 22 and the ratchet 24 (in a clockwisedirection, Fig. 4) one 15 end convolution of the coil spring 63 beingattached to the shaft 22 and the other end convolution oi the same beingattached to the housing 92 which is fixedly mounted upon the verticalsupporting wall 44 (Fig. 6).

Carried by, and projecting laterally from, the ratchet 24 (Fig. 4) is apin or lug 92 and the ratchet 24 and free game registering dial 23 arestopped in theirinitial positions, (as in Figs. 3 and 4) by theengagement of this lug 92 with the stop 93 which is formed from a partof the supporting wall 44.

Pivotally mounted, as at 19, upon a supporting bracket 81, (Figs. 5 and8), is a member 96 and this member 96 has an angled extension or arm 99which is urged into engagement with the bottom edge oi! the slide bar 49(counterclockwise, Fig. 8) by a spring 9|, this movement .being limitedby the stop 93.

The slide bar 49 rests upon a laterally proiecting pin 94 when the arm99 is movedout of engagement with the slide bar 49.

Operation Balls may be propelled, one at a time, onto the upper portion.of the inclined playing board l2 and, by the exercise of skill, theplayer may cause the played balls to enter into the severalball-receiving pockets or exit openings 39 where- .in they will restupon the switches 31.

Accordingly, it the player succeeds in playing a ball into each of thepockets 39 and then succeeds in playing a ball into the exit opening I 3it will drop through the latter into the ball return runway I6,whereupon, upon traveling down the runway l6, it will engage and closethe switch 34, thereby energizing or actuating the solenoid 39,whereupon the movable element 49 of the solenoid 39 will engage the arm4| oi! the escapement. dog 6| and pivot the latter (clockwise, from fullto dotted line position, Fig. 5), thereby moving the angled end-portionor arm 12 of the escapement dog 6| out or engagement with the ratchet24. The tensioned coil spring 63 will then rotate the ratchet 24, shaft22 and free game registering dial 23 a predetermined circumferentialdistance (clockwise, Fig. 4), thereby advancing the numeral I on thefree game registering dial 23 into registration with the andthusindicating that the player has one free game to his credit.

The foregoing movement of the ratchet 24 (clockwise, Fig. 4) which movesthe numeral I on the free game dial 23 into registration with the sightopening 64, likewise'causes the pin or lug 3| on the ratchet 24 to moveaway from the arm 39 of the latch member 26, whereupon the tensionedspring 33 urges the latch member 26 (counterclockwise, Fig. 4), until.the 'upper edge moving the notched end portion 21 of the latch member 26into latching engagement with the inner end portion of the coin slideand thus preventing operation of the coin slide 28 while the player hasone or more free games to his credit, as indicated by the free gameregistering dial 23.

When the player has'thus earned one or more free games, and desires torelease the balls from the pockets 38 for replay, this maybe-accomplished by operating the auxiliary actuating I member or pushrod 2|, (left to right, Fig. 4,

right to left, Fig. 5). During the foregoing movement of the push rod2|, (left to right, Fig.4, right to left, Fig. 5) the inner end portionof the same engages the flange or arm 45 of the pivotal member 46,thereby pivoting the latter at 41 (counterclockwise, Fig. 5).

This movement of the member 46 (counterclockwise, from full to dottedline position, Fig. 5) shifts the slide bar 49 (right to left, Fig. 5),and during this movement of the slide bar 49 the relatively free endportion of the same moves into position B, Fig. 5, it being noted thatthe spring 54 normally urges the pivotal member 52 in a direction(counterclockwise, from dotted to full line position, Fig. 4) to disposethe lug 50,

which is carried by the pivotal member 52, in the right hand end of theslot 5| (as seen in Fig. 5), and that the resetting spring 18 normallyurges the pivotal member 46v in a direction (clockwise, from dotted tofull line position, Fig. 5).

Accordingly, when the slide bar 49 is-shifted (right to left, Fig. 5) byoperation of the push rod 2| and pivotal'member 46-45, the relative- 1yfree end portion 65 of the slide bar 49 engages the lug or 'pin 58 whichis carried by the pivotal member 52 and thereby pivots the member 52, at89, (clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 4) the slide bar49 being held in a position to engage the lug or pin 50 by means of thelaterally projecting arm 94.

It is to be noted that when the ratchet 24 is advanced clockwise (Fig.4) and the free play dial 23 is correspondingly advancedcounterclockwise (Fig. 5) by means of their interconnection with theshaft 22 the angled end portion or arm 8|! of the member 86 is movedcounterclockwise along with the bracket 81 which is mounted upon thefree play dial 23 (Figs. 5 and 6).

During this movement of the member 52 (clockwise, from full to dottedlineposition, Fig. 4), the upper end portion 53 of the same engages thedepending arm 29 of the slidable ball-retaining member 28, therebyshifting the latter (left to right, Figs. 2 and 4). This movement of theslidable ball-retaining member 28 moves the switches 31, which arecarried by the slidable member 28, out of registration with the openings38 and at the same time moves the openings 61 in the slidable member 28into registration with the pockets 38, whereupon the balls disposed inthe pockets 38 will drop therefrom into the inclined ball return runwayl6 by which they are conducted to-the transverse runway H, by which theyare, in turn, conducted to a point adjacent to but below the elevatingdevice l8.

The foregoing movement of the member 52 (clockwise from full to dottedline position, Fig. 4), which operates the slidable ball-retainingmember 28, likewise acts, through the link 56 and member 58 to move theangled arm 69 of the pawl 68 into engagement with the ratchet 24,thereby rotating the shaft 22, ratchet 24, and

the free game registering dial 23a predetermined circumferentialdistance (counterclockwise, Fig. 4) 'in a directionback toward theirinitial or zero positions, against the action of the spring 63, whicliisthus tensioned; During this movement, the lug or pin 3| which projectsfrom the ratchet 24 engages the depending arm 38 of the member 9| andpivots the latch mem-, ber 26 at 25, (clockwise, Fig. 4) againsttheaction of the spring 33, thereby moving the notched portion 21 of thelatch member 26 out of latching engagement with the inner end portion ofthe coin slide 28, whereupon the coin slide 20 may again be operated tomove' the ball-retaining member 28 (left to right, Figs. 2 and 4) itbeing noted that when there are one or. more free games to the player'scredit, upon the free game registering dial 23, and the notched portion2] of the latch member 26 is disposed in latching engagement with theinner end portion of the coin slide 20, the latter can not be operatedto move the slidable ball-retaining member 28.

If there are one or more free games credited to the player upon the freegame registering dial 23 and the operator or proprietor of the present25 machine desires to rotate the free game registering dial 23 in adirection back toward its initial or zero position (as in Fig. 3),without operating tom to top, Fig. 4), the inner end portion of the samewill engage the angled extension or arm 15 of the member 58, therebypivoting the latter, at 59, (clockwise, Fig. 4), this movement of themember 58 moving the pawl 68 away from the stop 84 whereupon the spring13 will urge the angled arm 69 of the pawl 68 into engagement with theteeth of the ratchet 24, whereupon the ratchet 24, shaft 22 and freegame registering dial 23 are rotated a predetermined circumferentialdistance in a ,direction (counterclockwise, Fig. 4) back toward theirinitial or zero positions, against the action of the spring 63. Byrepeating this operation of the plunger 74 as many times as there arefree games credited upon the free game registering dial 23, the lattermay be reset back into its initial or zero position (as in Fig. 3)without operating the actuating member or push rod 2|.

It is to be noted that during the foregoing operation of resetting thefree game registering dial 23 back into its initial or zero position bymeans of the plunger 14, the movement of the plunger 14 is nottransmitted to the pivotal member 52, nor to the slidable ball retainingmember 28, because of the lost motion connection 76--55 between the link56 and the pivotal member 52,

Having thus described my invention what I 70 claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a memberproviding a ball playing surface having a ball-receiving pocket or exitsaid ball exit opening or pocket; a coin-controlledactuating membermovably mounted in a wall of said cabinet for operating saidball-retaining member; a free game registering dial in said cabinet;means including a device actuated by a played ball at a preselectedpoint in said cabinet for moving said free game registering dial incircumferential steps in a direction away from its initial or zeroposition; and means, controlled by the said first-named means, forlatching said coin-controlled actuating member against operation whensaid free game registering dial has been moved away from its initial orzero position.

2. .In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including amember providing a ball playing surface having a ball-receiving pocketor exit opening therein; a member slidably mounted in said cabinet belowsaid playing surface for temporarily retaining therein a ball whichenters into said ball exit opening or pocket: a coin-controlledactuating member and an auxiliary non-coincontrolled actuating membermovably mounted in a wall of said cabinet for selectively operating saidball-retaining member; a free game registering dial in said cabinet;means including a device actuated by a played ball at a preselectedpoint in said cabinet for moving said free game registering dial incircumferential steps in a direction away from its initial or zeroposition:

[means coacting with the said auxiliary actuating member for moving saidfree game registering dial in circumferential steps in a direction backtoward its initial or zero position; and means controlled by the saidfirst-named means for latching the said coin-controlled actuating memberagainst operation when the said dial is away from its initial or zeroposition.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a cabinethaving a ball-playing surface provided with ball-receiving openings orpockets; means movably mounted in the said cabinet for temporarilyretaining therein some of the balls which enter the said ball-receivingopenings or pockets; a coin-controlled member movably mounted in a wallof said cabinet for operating said ball-retaining means; a free gameregistering dial in said cabinet; means including a device actuated by aplayed ball passing through one of the said ball-receiving openings orpockets for moving said free game registering dial in 20 circumferentialsteps in a direction away from its initial or zero position; meanscontrolled by the said free game; registering dial tor latching the saidcoin-controlled member against movement when the said registering dialis moved away 25 from its initial or zero position: and means forsimultaneously returning the said free game registering dial'incircumferential steps in a direction back toward its initial or zeropositionand for moving said ball-retaining means so as to release 30 anyball or balls held thereby in the said ballreceiving openings orpockets.

BRUNO RADI'KE.

